Best Property Management Options for Small and DIY Landlords (1-3 Units)

If you manage one to three rentals yourself, most property management software was built for someone else. You do not need owner portals or trust accounting, and a $30 to $50 monthly subscription is hard to justify for a few doors. Several platforms cost $0 at this size. This page compares them side by side and matches each one to a situation.

Affiliate disclosure: some of the vendor reviews linked below contain affiliate links, and we may earn a commission if you sign up through them at no extra cost to you. Rankings on this site follow fit for the reader and never commission size. We also list our own product, the Complete Landlord Bundle, in its own section and mark it as self-built.

Quick comparison

Pricing reflects each vendor’s published plans as checked in September 2026. Confirm current numbers on the vendor’s site before you commit.

Which one fits your situation

You own one rental

Start with TurboTenant or Innago. Both work at a single unit with no minimum. Our single rental property guide explains why the platforms with monthly minimums cost so much for one door.

You have two or three units and want rent collected online

Innago is the strongest free option. It includes online lease signing, automated rent reminders, maintenance requests and tenant screening. If state-specific lease templates matter most to you, look at Avail.

You are trying to fill a vacancy

TurboTenant pushes one listing out to 25 or more rental sites, including Apartments.com and Redfin, and the applicant pays for screening. If your market runs mostly through Zillow, read our listing syndication guide first, because TurboTenant has no direct Zillow integration.

Your real problem is bookkeeping and taxes

Landlord Studio and Baselane both start from the money side. Landlord Studio scans receipts and categorizes bank transactions. Baselane tags income and expenses to Schedule E categories and produces tax packages. See our guide to bank sync options if connecting your accounts is the priority.

You would rather not add another account

A template system may suit you better. See the bundle section below.

The software options in more detail

Innago

Innago has no monthly or yearly license fee for any number of units or users. It earns money from optional add-ons such as tenant screening reports and premium support, plus a per-transaction rate on certain payment processing. It holds a 4.9 out of 5 on Capterra across 531 reviews. Read the full Innago review.

TurboTenant

The free tier covers listing syndication, tenant screening and rent collection. Screening reports are free to the landlord because the applicant pays the fee. Users often mention filling vacancies faster, and the common complaints are the missing Zillow integration and slower payment processing than expected. It holds a 4.6 out of 5 on Capterra across 108 reviews. Read the full TurboTenant review.

Avail

Avail’s free Unlimited plan includes tenant screening, listing syndication and customizable state-specific lease templates with e-signatures. The paid Unlimited Plus plan adds waived ACH fees, a dedicated property website and faster support. Some users report recent price increases on the paid tier. It holds a 4.6 out of 5 on Capterra across 276 reviews. Read the full Avail review.

Landlord Studio

The GO plan is free for the first 3 units and covers rent tracking, expense tracking and basic reporting. PRO adds automation and includes 4 units, then charges $1 per additional unit per month. It holds a 4.9 out of 5 on Capterra across 150 reviews. Read the full Landlord Studio review.

Baselane

Baselane pairs a business bank account with rent collection and accounting. The free plan has no monthly fees or minimum balance for core banking and accounting. The $20 per month Smart plan adds transaction auto-tagging and 2-day rent deposits. It is a financial tool first, so expect less depth on screening and maintenance. It holds a 4.8 out of 5 on Capterra across 18 reviews. Read the full Baselane review.

If you want templates instead of software

The Complete Landlord Bundle is our own product and is not an affiliate pick. It is a one-time purchase covering lease agreements, move-in and move-out inspections, rent tracking, maintenance logs and tenant communication templates. There is no login and no monthly fee. You customize it in Google Sheets or Excel and keep it for as long as you own rentals. It will not send automated rent reminders or run a tenant portal, so choose one of the software options above if you want that. Price: $39.99 one time.

Get the Complete Landlord Bundle

When to move up to a bigger platform

Free plans have limits. Landlord Studio’s free plan stops at 3 units, and Avail is built for landlords with fewer than 10. Once you need a team, owner reporting or deeper automation, compare DoorLoop and Rentec Direct, or browse the best options under $50 a month.

More Guides

• Best PM Software for a Single Rental Property
• Free Property Management Software for Landlords
• Best PM Software Under $50/Month
• Which Property Management Software Is Right for You?
• Property Management Software Pricing Index, October 2026